Community Energy Cooperative to Study Kane County’s Energy Options
At the August 12 meeting of the Kane County Board Executive Committee, The Community Energy Cooperative announced the launch of its new project to chart the county’s energy future. The Kane County project will evaluate how demand for energy is likely to grow in the county and explore strategies for using aggressive energy efficiency and demand reduction programs to manage growth and produce economic and environmental benefits.
For coverage of this new project visit:
Kane County Chronicle
Daily Herald
Courier News
Chicago Tribune
The Cooperative received a $175,000 Opportunity Returns grant for the project from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s Regional Energy Program, which aims to help communities improve their local economies through increased energy efficiency. Opportunity Returns is Governor Rod Blagojevich’s regional, pro-active economic development program to create jobs and promote economic growth for the Northeast region and across the state.
The Community Energy Cooperative is a non-profit membership organization helping consumers and communities obtain the information and services they need to control energy costs. The Cooperative will work closely with Kane County residents and leaders to identify the most promising and cost-effective strategies for handling energy demands in this growing region. Specifically, the project will investigate the potential for using improved energy efficiency and targeted demand reduction to delay-or in some cases eliminate-the need for new energy infrastructure investments. Reducing the need for new infrastructure would cut costs imposed on county taxpayers, communities and utilities, and citizens would be less affected by new power lines and substations.
As a part of its effort to help Kane County manage growing energy demands, the Cooperative will expand the successful Energy-Smart Pricing Plan ESPP in the region. ESPP is the nation’s first large-scale residential pricing program to use hourly, market-based electricity prices. It gives local residents opportunities to help shape the region’s energy future. The plan works by giving residential electricity customers incentives to conserve energy when electricity demands-and stress on the electricity infrastructure-are greatest. ESPP is designed to improve system reliability, lessen the need for new infrastructure, and save consumers money. ESPP is available to most residential ComEd customers in Kane County. Information about participating is available at www.energycooperative.org/espp or by phone at 773 269-4037.
The Community Energy Cooperative’s efforts to analyze options for Kane County’s energy future will continue through fall of 2005. The Cooperative and partners in the county will identify cost-effective strategies for managing growth while maximizing benefits to local residents and businesses. Once these high-impact strategies have been identified, the project team will create a plan for implementing these strategies and providing community outreach and education.
For more information about the Community Energy Cooperative’s work in Kane County, contact Stephanie Folk, communications and outreach coordinator, at sfolk@energycooperative.org or 773 269-4085.
